Display shelf and guard therefor



June25, 1929. MTMEDEMANN 1,718,738

DISPLAY SHELF AND GUARD THEREFOR Filed April 25, 1927 INVENTOR Mar-1Z1 ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1929.

MATTHEW FRIEDEMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DISPLAY SHELF AND GUARD THEREFOR.

Application filed April 25, 1927. Serial No. 186,202;

This invention relates to display fixtures and more particularly to display fixtures on which the display shelf or element is arranged to be angularly disposed in relation to the vertical position so that merchandise may be suitably held thereon. still more particularly, my invention relates to display fixtures including display elements or shelves utilizing a glass or similar construction and which may be angularly disposed in relation to the standard or member supporting the same to more effectively furnish a display surface, and coordinately resides in providing a display element or shelf made of glass with a guard rail and support therefor which may be quickly and efi'ectively attached or detached, as desired, the structure being of a nature so as to be inexpensively and easily manufactured.

Where I have attempted to provide display shelves or elements angularly tiltable to present different display areas when viewed from different positions, which shelves or elements may be either positioned r in the horizontal plane or varied therefrom, l have found it necessary, particularly in the latter case, to provide suitable means on the shelf or element to retain the merchandise thereon. \Vhcre the display elements or shelves are made of such material as Wood, While I have found no difficulty in assembling with such shelves or display elements a shelf rim or guard, in the later practice of making the display shelves of the more desirable material such as glass, where maximum clear vision and freedom from obstruction is desired, the manner of attachment of the edge rim or guard rail was not only difficult but prohibitive in price where an attempt was made to attach this edge rim or guard rail in the manner previously used for' display shelves utilizing metal or wood construction.

My invention therefore has for an object thereof the provision of a display shelf or element suitable for use in holding merchandise thereon in the horizontal plane to give maximum display areas, or which may be angularly disposed from the horizontal, and coordinately resides in the provision of a shelf rim or guard rail so that when used in an angular position, the display shelf or element may serve to effectively hold merchandise thereon, and without unnecessarily obstructing the view of the material so held Cal upon the display shelf or element. It is contemplated by my invention to provide a display shelf or element which has combined therewith a readily detachable or adjustable shelf rim or guard rail which may be attached without otherwise previously machining or preparing the display element or shelf for combination therewith of said shelf rim or guard rail.

My invention still further has for an obect thereof the provision of a display shelf or element suitable for holding merchandise thereon for display purposes in any position by combining therewith a shelf rim or guard rail, particularly where the display shelf or element includes such material as glass. It is contemplated that the shelf rim or guard rail may be attached to such shelf, particuresiliently disposed and frictionally the shelf or display element so that grasping the same may be quickly attached or detached in accordance with the merchandise to be displayed or with the angular disposition of the display shelf or element.

Still more particularly, my invention has for an object thereof the provision of a spring clip suitable for use as a shelf ping member and a shelf edge rim or rail "guard support made of spring metal inexpensively manufactured and easily applied so that a display shelf need not be previously machined or prepared to receive and have assembled therewith a shelf edge rim or guard rail, or any other means of supporting thereon merchandise when the display shelf or element is angularly disposed.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the drawing forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display fixture having an angularly disposed display shelf including my device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 1;

I Figure 3 is an enlarged of a detail of my device.

perspective view Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be observed that in its preferred embodiment my shelf edge rim or guard rail 10 comprises shelf gripping jaws 11 and an edge rim portion 12. It is preferred to form this member of sheeted spring metal, preferably ofone piece, and for this purpose a single length of material is reflexively bent at 13 toprovide superposed portions 14 and 15. A right angle bend at 16 serves to upwardly project the branch 12 serving as an edge rim or guard rail. \Vhere it is desired to include a rail guard support portion the branch 12 has formed thereon the loop 17 suitable for inserting in this loop portion the rail 18, particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The lower portion 14 has an extended portion right angularly disposed bent at 19 and reflexively bent at 20, providing an intermediate length 21 of a length depending upon the thickness of the shelf with which this member is to be combined. The bend at 20 is made at an acute angle to provide a branch 22 forming with the superposed portions 14 and-15 the gripping jaws previously described. The bend formed at 20 is so made as to normally position the branch 22 in contact with the superposed portions 14 and 15 and, due to the inherent characteristics of the material, is resiliently disposed thereagainst. In order to facilitate separation of these members, the branch 22 has a curved camming end 23 having utility which will be apparent as this description proceeds.

The shelf edge rim member or guard may be readily attached to the shelf such as 24 by forcing the edge of the shelf between the jaws 11, the separation thereof being facilitated by the camming surface 23 formed on the branch 22 of the gripping jaws 11.

Due to the inherent resilient characteristics of the spring metal material, the edge rim or guard will be held in position against displacement, the upstanding branch 12 serving as an edge rim or guard, as will be apparent as this description proceeds further. Thus, this edge rim or guard may be attached to a display shelf such as illustrated in Figure 1 simply by forcing the edge of the shelf 24 between the jaws 11 without previously preparing the shelf 24 for assembly of the edge rim or guard therewith. Where the shelf 24 is arranged to be disposed in relation to the standard 25 by the shelf supporting member 26 for tilting from the horizontal. so that articles placed thereon will be effectively held in position, the upstanding branch 12 will serve to hold the merchandise on said shelf in its intended position.

It will be observed that the edge rim or guard may be of a length corresponding to that of the'full edge of the display shelf or may be of shceted material of limited cross sectional area in the form of clips, such as specifically illustrated.

The form just above described wherein the. edge or rim is formed of a continuous sheet of metal is particularly suitable where. rectilinear shelvings are used. However, where curvilinear shelves are used, such as illustrated in Figure 1, it is preferred to have the edge rim or guard of substantially limited cross sectional area in the form of clips and in this form it is preferred to have the upstanding branch 12 formed with the loop 17 serving as a rail guard support for the rail 18. This construction not only simplifies the attachment of an edge rim or guard rail but similarly serves in a simple manner to conform the guard rail to the general contour of curvilinear shelves in a manner which will be ap mrent. The support of the guard rail by the clips 10 at spaced intervals, particularly where I use a guard rail 18 of limited cross sectional area, gives clear vision and freedom from obstruction of the merchandise displayed upon the shelf so that not only does the assembly serve to effectively retain merchandise upon the tilted shelf but the view thereof is not in any way obstructed. It will be further observed that though I have described the shelf and guard rail of curvilinear contour, the shelf clip may be as effectively used with a guard rail of rectilinear form.

It will thus be observed that I have provided an edge rim or guard rail and a rail guard support which may be simply and inexpensively made and which may readily be attached to the edge of display shelves or elements which are adapted to be tilted and hold the same thereon without previously preparing the shelving, artieularly where such shelving is made of material such as glass.

It will be further observed that where my shelf clip is used as support for a rail, that I in no way detract from the attractiveness of the display shelf as the relatively thin cross sectional areas do not in any way obstruct vision of the articles displayed on the shelf while at the same time they effectively serve to hold articles positioned thereon when the shelf is tilted or angularly disposed.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A guard rail for a display shelf having a plurality of shelf engaging clips, each clip comprising a strip of resilient metal bent to form shelf gripping jaws, one jaw formed of a return bent port-ion terminating in an 1 upstanding extension provided with a rail engaging portion on the edge thereof. 2. A guard rail for a display shelf havmg a plurality of shelf engaging clips, each lll) clip comprising a strip of resilient metal having a return bend to form shelf gripping jaws, one jaw being arranged to overlie the upper surface of the shelf, the other jaw being arranged to lie at the lower surface of the shelf and angularly disposed, with it cumming lip at its forward end whereby the shelf may be resiliently and frictionally gripped to conform to various thicknesses of a display shelf, and an upstanding extension provided with a rail engaging loop on the edge. thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 23rd day of April, 1926,

MATTHEW M. FRIEDEMAN N 

